As per survey carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2004-05, the total employment in both Organised and Unorganised sector in the country was of the order of 45.9 crore. Out of this about 2.6 crore was in the Organised Sector and the balance 43.3 crore in the Unorganised Sector.

With regard to Social Security to the organised sector workers, it is being extended to workers as per provisions of various Acts such as:

i)      Employees State Insurance(ESI) Act, 1948,

iii)    The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972,

iv)    Maternity Benefit (MB) Act, 1961 and

v)     Workmen’s(now Employees’) Compensation (WC) Act, 1923. 

With regard to social security to unorganized workers,  the Government enacted the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008.  The Act provides for constitution of National Social Security Board which shall recommend social security schemes viz  life and disability cover, health maternity benefits, old age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Government for unorganized workers. 

The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)  providing for smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs. 30000 to BPL families (a unit of five) in the unorganized sector was launched on 01.10.2007 and became operational from 01.04.2008.   More than 2.18 crore BPL families (a unit of five) have been covered under RSBY as on 30.11.2010.

The scheme has been extended to building and other construction workers   registered under the Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment of Condition of Service), Act, 1996 and street vendors.

          In the Budget for the year 2010-11, the Government has announced to extend benefits of RSBY to all such MGNREGA beneficiaries who have worked for more than 15 days during the preceding financial year.  Steps are being taken to extend RSBY to MGNREGA beneficiaries.

           To provide death and disability cover to rural landless households between the age group of the 18 to 59 years, the Government launched the “Aam Admi Bima Yojana”.  More than 1.45 crore persons have been covered under the scheme as on 31.07.2010. 

           Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension has been expanded by revising the criteria of eligibility.  All citizens above the age of 65 years and living below poverty line are eligible for benefits under the scheme. The Government also launched the National Pension Scheme called Swavalamban Scheme for unorganized sector workers.

            The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005  was enacted  providing for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household.   

In addition to above, the Government is implementing various social security schemes viz. Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana, Swarnjayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme, National Social Assistance Programme, etc. providing for social security to the workers in the unorganized sector.

The Government have set up Welfare Funds to provide social security/ welfare measures to certain categories of workers i.e. beedi workers, certain non-coal mine workers and cine workers, the welfare measures include health care, housing, educational assistance for children, drinking water supply, etc.

            The Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri Harish Rawat  gave this information in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

YSK: PM